Use a Corkscrew
Ready to get into that expensive bottle of wine, but not sure how to start? A corkscrew is the basic tool used to get both real and synthetic corks out of wine bottles with elegance and ease. Learn to use one properly to impress your date or house guest.
Contents
Steps
Using a Butterfly Corkscrew
- Cut through the foil covering the top of the bottle. Using a reasonably sharp knife, cut around the under the rim at the bottle's neck. You can also try use the tip of the corkscrew, if you don't have a knife at hand. Make a full circuit around the bottle rim.
- Remove the foil. Use your fingers to peel off the foil covering the cork. Removing the foil around the rest of the neck of the bottle is optional, but recommended, especially if you plan to re-cork the bottle and store it. If you have trouble with that lower foil, make a downward diagonal cut with your knife, starting from the rim.
- Raise the arms of corkscrew. A butterfly, or winged, corkscrew has two levers to make pulling the cork out easy. Raise the arms so the corkscrew part thrusts out from the bottom.
- Point the corkscrew at the center of the cork. Press the tip gently into the cork. Make sure the screw is pointing straight into the bottle neck.
- Implant the corkscrew. Apply gentle but firm and steady pressure to the cork with the tip of the screw. Twist the screw using the key-like handle at the top of the corkscrew. The screw should slowly twist into the cork. Most corkscrews twist clockwise.
- As you insert the screw, make sure it continues to go in straight. If it starts to go at an angle you may need to start over, or else risk breaking the cork.
- Keep twisting until the corkscrew is completely implanted. As you do this, the wings of the corkscrew should slowly rise to their top position if you had let them fall earlier. Make sure you don't twist too far, or you may break the cork. Stop when the last loop of the screw goes in.
- Push the wings down. Set the bottle on a flat surface and use both hands to push the levers down. This should easily and smoothly lift the cork out of the neck of the wine bottle.
- Pull out the cork. Wiggle the corkscrew back and forth while applying a lifting pressure. The cork should come out of the wine bottle with a soft but satisfying pop.
- Remove the cork from the corkscrew by twisting it. Raise the arms back up and hold the screw steady in one hand. Use the handle to untwist the corkscrew counter-clockwise until the two separate. Now let your wine breathe a few minutes and enjoy.
Using a Wine Key
- Use the blade of the key to cut off the foil. Unlike butterfly corkscrews, wine keys fold up like a pocket knife and usually include a small blade. Unfold the blade and cut around the rim. Remove the foil and fold the blade back in when you finish.
- Unfold the screw and twist it into the cork. Apply gentle pressure and twist clockwise until the screw is almost completely buried in the cork. Make sure the screw goes in straight—you don't have the frame of the butterfly corkscrew to guide you.
- Use the wing and lever to lift the cork out of the bottle. In place of the two butterfly-style wings, a wine key uses its body to lever against the bottle. Place the hook or lip of the "wing" on the rim of the bottle and hold it to the neck with your hand. Then pull up on the other end of the key body. This should lift the cork part way out. If your wine-key has two sets of hooks, secure the second set of hooks to the wine bottle and repeat. This should get the cork most of the way out of the bottle.
- Pull out the cork out of the bottle and remove it from the screw. Wiggle while applying a lifting pressure until the cork comes out. Then twist the cork off the screw.
Using a Simple Corkscrew
- Remove the foil. You can use a knife or the tip of the screw.
- Twist the screw straight into the cork. Grip the handle in your fist with the screw sticking out between your middle and ring fingers. Press the tip of the screw into the cork. Hold the bottle firmly and twist the corkscrew until it is almost completely buried in the cork.
- Hold the bottle securely. Grip the neck of the bottle with your off hand and hold it against your body or in the crook of your arm. Make sure you won't drop the bottle and there is no one nearby you might accidentally hit if your cork comes out suddenly. Also avoid anything you don't want to accidentally spill wine on.
- Pull the cork straight out of the bottle. Holding the corkscrew handle in your fist, pull out without twisting. Use steady pressure, not jerking motions. Without a lever-system, removing a cork can be difficult—even impossible, if the cork happens to be in there tight enough. You may have to put some muscle into it. Be ready in case the cork comes out suddenly—don't let yourself flail or drop and spill the wine.
- If your cork is really stuck, try running the top of the wine bottle under hot water for 30 seconds. The heat should expand the glass enough to loosen the cork and make it easier to come out.
Tips
- Run hot water over the top of the wine bottle for 30 seconds to loose a stubborn cork.
- Most Swiss army knives have a corkscrew on them. Get one and always be able to get your drink on.
- Keep the corkscrew vertical when twisting downwards.
Warnings
- Be careful not to to drive the corkscrew too far into the cork as some bits of cork might drop into the wine.
- Be ready for the cork to come out suddenly: don't accidentally hit someone standing nearby.
